Baylor University

Baylor University Ranking

Baylor University is a private, Baptist-founded University located in Waco, Texas. The school boasts over 20,000 students, a thriving research community, and a foundation on Christian theology. 

Interested in applying to Baylor? Then you probably want to know as much about the school as possible, including the Baylor University ranking. In this section, we’ll talk about the different places to find US college rankings, the importance of college rankings in general, and the specific Baylor University ranking. 

Where does Baylor rank?

The Baylor national ranking is not a single number. Instead, the Baylor ranking varies based on the college ranking source and the criteria used by that source. For example, the overall Baylor University ranking is not the same as the Baylor Business School ranking. Different websites will assign a different Baylor ranking because they evaluate schools differently. 

In this section, we will look at the Baylor ranking in Forbes, the Baylor ranking in US News, and the Baylor ranking in Wall Street Journal college rankings. When looking at the Baylor national ranking, make sure you consider all three sources. 

Why are college rankings important?

College rankings are one important measure of a school’s quality and national reputation. A high college ranking often means that a school provides both a top education as well as other features. College rankings take into account a wide variety of factors, including academics, facilities, and student life. 

Forbes recently changed its ranking system to account for financial value and average debt among graduates. This bumped Harvard University from 1st to 7th. Therefore, a college ranking provides a holistic look at a school’s overall quality and prestige. But college rankings can also vary year to year and website to website. 

College rankings are also important because employers often find a degree from a school with a high college ranking more desirable. Schools with a high college ranking have name recognition, which can make it easier for graduates to get hired. 

While a school’s place on US college rankings lists is important, don’t overlook a school simply because of a low college ranking. Some schools specialize in a particular program or major. They may have a high college ranking in your area of interest even if their overall college ranking is lower.

Baylor rankings: Exploring three different sources

The first of the Baylor University rankings comes from the Forbes college rankings. The Baylor ranking in Forbes is #257 overall among national universities. Within Forbes college rankings, Baylor ranks #133 among private colleges and #55 among universities in the South. 

The second Baylor University ranking comes from the US News college rankings. Baylor’s US News college ranking of #93 is significantly higher than the Baylor ranking in Forbes. This shows that different websites can assign vastly different Baylor rankings even though they are looking at the same school. 

More specifically, the Baylor University rankings for entrepreneurship and first year experiences are #8 and #5. Unlike Forbes, which looks at geography and school type, US News college rankings are based on academic disciplines and performance indicators.

The third Baylor University ranking comes from the Wall Street Journal. The Baylor University ranking in Wall Street Journal is #170 overall. However, WSJ does report a high Baylor ranking in student achievement, which we will discuss later. 

Baylor Rankings in Texas

According to US News, the Baylor ranking in Texas is the fifth highest of any school in the state behind only Rice, UT Austin, Southern Methodist University and Texas A&M. For the Wall Street Journal college rankings, the Baylor ranking in Texas is slightly lower at #7. This Baylor ranking still makes Baylor one of the top 10 universities in the state. 

In addition to the high Baylor ranking in Texas, in recent years, the Wall Street Journal also awarded a Baylor University ranking of #6 nationally for student engagement. High Baylor University rankings like this show that the school values student involvement. It encourages students of all disciplines to challenge themselves and use what they learn to improve their community.

Considering Baylor national ranking

The overall Baylor University ranking in US News went down slightly from the previous year. However, the current Baylor University ranking of #93 in the country is still one of the highest Baylor rankings in recent years. This Baylor ranking puts Baylor among the top schools in the country. 

The Baylor ranking in Forbes also puts it around the top third of their schools. Although there is some variation, the Baylor rankings remain strong across a wide variety of sources. These Baylor rankings make it an attractive school for many applicants.

Baylor University Ratings

Some college websites like Niche.com use a letter grade rating system to evaluate colleges. Niche assigned Baylor ratings of at least an “A” in both academics and athletics and an overall Baylor rating of A. Other Baylor ratings from Niche include Diversity, Campus Environment, and Value, all of which received a Baylor rating of “A-”. 

These Baylor ratings and Baylor University rankings help prospective students identify the strengths and weaknesses of a school. Therefore, these Baylor rankings can be valuable in your college search and as you create your college list.

Baylor University Ranking: Final Thoughts 

Overall, the Baylor University rankings and the Baylor Business School ranking are high, both in Texas and nationally. The Baylor ranking in Texas is in the top 5 according to US News. The national Baylor ranking is also above average. 

While you should consider the Baylor University ranking as you choose schools, also determine if it is a good fit for you before applying. You can learn more about Baylor by checking out their website here. Finally, find tips for how to apply to Baylor here.

Looking for more expert advice on US college rankings and college applications? Sign up for an account today to be matched with an expert who can help you with every step in the process.

Where is Baylor University?

Baylor University is a private Christian institution in Texas. Specifically, Baylor is located in the city of Waco. 

Established in 1845 by Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas. The university has a student population of over 20,000, a strong research community, and a curriculum based on Christian theology. 

Baylor offers 126 undergraduate programs, 80 graduate and 47 doctoral programs. Where is Baylor offering these programs? Through nine academic divisions including the college of arts and sciences, the Hankamer School of Business, the Louise Herrington School of Nursing, the graduate school, the law school, the George W. Truett Theological Seminary, and schools of education, music, and engineering and computer science. 

Where is Baylor University located?

There are many schools in Texas, all with different settings and campus cultures. If you’re asking “where is Baylor,” you might be wondering what Waco is like. Waco has a population of roughly 140,000 people. The city has a small metropolitan area, but it doesn’t compare to large cities like Austin, Dallas, or Houston. So, if you attend Baylor, you’ll likely spend much of your time engaging with campus life rather than exploring major urban areas. This makes it all the more important to understand the question of “where is Baylor University.” 

Where is Baylor University in Texas?

The Baylor campus map shows that the Baylor University address is located in Waco, Texas. 

Where is Baylor University located in relation to other Texas Universities? 

Baylor is about 93 miles from Dallas, 102 miles from Austin, and 180 miles from San Antonio. So, if you’re wondering, “where is Baylor University located within the state of Texas?” you should note that this school is quite far from major other cities. 

Baylor is in the east region of the state and central to other popular cities like Fort Worth, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston. 

Where is Baylor’s campus situated?

The Baylor campus sits on a 1,000-acre campus along the Brazos River. As a historically Baptist university, Baylor places a strong emphasis on community service. The school encourages students, faculty, and staff to volunteer regularly both on the Baylor campus map and in the local community. On average, Baylor community members contribute more than 150,000 hours of volunteer service each year.

When did Baylor move to Waco?

Where is Baylor’s original address? Baylor University began as a school in the town of Independence, which is 112 miles south of Waco. The Baylor University address was moved in 1886 to Waco and merged with Waco University. 

In 1900, the renowned Baylor University College of Medicine was created in Waco. It was affiliated with Baylor in 1903. It was later moved to Houston in 1943. However, in 1969, the college became an independent institution and was renamed the Baylor College of Medicine. 

Where is Baylor University located now? In the late 1920s, there was a proposal to move Baylor University from Waco, Texas to Dallas, Texas for the cost of $1,500,000 and 1,000 acres of land. This caused a lot of debate and campaigns for and against the move. The reason for the move was to bring Baylor closer to its medical department in Dallas, which were both owned by the Baptist State Convention. 

However, Baylor President Dr. Samuel Palmer Brooks believed Baylor would be better supported in the Waco community. The campaign slogan “Baylor is deeply rooted in Waco — Let it grow” was used to emphasize the strong connection between Baylor and Waco, known as the “town and gown” relationship which includes financial, cultural, historical, and sentimental ties. The Baylor campus has remained in Waco, Texas ever since. 

Exploring Baylor University Campus

Once again, where is Baylor University’s campus located? Just 90 minutes from Austin or Dallas. 

The Baylor campus map includes state-of-the-art facilities set on a 1000-acre award-winning campus that seamlessly blends historic beauty with innovative function. The Baylor campus map boasts 6 living-learning centers and 3 residential colleges, as well as 7 first-year communities for students to call home.

The campus also features the Brazos River, the longest river in Texas, where students enjoy kayaking, paddle boarding, and a sand volleyball court. The campus also offers a unique experience called “sailgating,” where students can tailgate on the river before football games. The Brazos River runs between the university’s collection of sports complexes.

Overall, if you’re thinking about the question of “where is Baylor University,” note that the school is in an area with plenty of access to nature. 

What is Baylor University known for?

At Baylor University, the ratio of students to faculty is 16:1. Additionally, the average undergraduate class size is 28 students. The university offers a variety of popular majors, including nursing, biology, communication, health/medical preparatory programs, accounting, finance, psychology, marketing, political science and government, and communication sciences and disorders. 

Where is Baylor in terms of student satisfaction? The average freshman retention rate, which measures student satisfaction, is 89%. This means that most students remain at Baylor after their freshman year. 

The top five most popular majors at Baylor University as reported by the US News top ten list based on 2022 Baylor graduates are:

1. Nursing
2. Biology
3. Communication
4. Pre-Health/Pre-Med
5. Finance

Baylor University offers a wide range of majors, making it difficult to identify a specific area of expertise. However, based on the most popular majors at the university, Nursing and Biology are among the top choices among students. Additionally, the university is known for its foundation in Christian theology, which distinguishes the university from others in Texas and the rest of the country. 

Where is Baylor ranked in comparison to other Texas universities? According to US News college rankings, Baylor University is #5 of the top ten best colleges in Texas. 

Where is Baylor in terms of athletics? Baylor is recognized nationally for its NCAA Division I sports teams, which consist of 19 varsity sports. Men’s and Women’s basketball are particularly well-known and successful, having won NCAA national championships in 2005, 2012, 2019, and 2021. Additionally, the university’s sports teams, known as the Baylor University Bears, have won a total of 88 Big 12 Conference championships (49 regular season and 39 tournament) since the league’s inception 25 years ago.

Planning your Baylor University campus visit 

Where is Baylor ranked on the list of things to do in Waco? 

On Trip Advisor, visiting Baylor University is ranked as the third most popular activity out of 57 things to do in Waco, Texas, making it a worthwhile visit for those interested in Baylor admissions. With 1,000 acres of campus, there are plenty of things for prospective students to do and see. Visiting Baylor University can confirm whether or not a student can see themselves completing a Baylor application or actually attending the university. Students should go on campus visits with specific goals and questions in mind. Have questions to ask yourself, the Baylor admissions officers, and other students on campus.

Where is Baylor compared to the other Texas Universities? With the Baylor University address just 90 minutes from Austin or Dallas, visiting the Baylor University campus also makes it easy to tour other Texas universities such as the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas A&M University, and University of Houston. 

Where is Baylor University located in relation to other attractions in Waco? While the town of Waco is widely known as the home of the Baylor University Bears, there are plenty of other things to see. The city is also home to the Waco Zoo, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, and the Dr. Pepper Museum, where the famous soft drink was first bottled. In recent years, Waco has seen a surge in tourism thanks to the hit home renovation show, Fixer Upper, featuring Chip and Joanna Gaines.